Justin Timberlake Is Third On Forbes Hollywood Mogul List

Justin Timberlake has been named third on Forbes’ Hollywood’s Top Ten Moguls in The Making. Read below to find out why he keeps popping up on Forbes’ lists.

Another remarkable young mogul musician is Justin Timberlake. Timberlake’s FutureSex/LoveShow tour grossed $127 million in 2007 and reached millions of living rooms with an HBO special. Non-musical ventures include the William Rast clothing line, the BBQ restaurant Southern Hospitality in New York City and record label Tennman Records.

In an attempt to identify these moguls in the making, we took a look at Hollywood’s top earners under age 35 with significant income from more than one industry with the potential to grow as celebrity powerhouses deep into the century.

Aside from talent, they have other things in common. Almost all the members on our list have a perfume line and/or a fashion endeavor on their résumé. While perfume is a relatively painless and fruitful way to build a celebrity’s brand, fashion is a complicated and fickle business. A clothing brand must introduce new collections for every season, has to fight for retail floor space and operates with relatively limited advertising. The runways are littered with the ghosts of lines that have petered out–Eve’s Fetish line, Sean Comb’s line for women, and, though through no fault of the stars, the various celebrity lines attached to Steve & Barry’s.

[. . .]Of course, the celebrity marketing and branding machine that seeps into nearly all corners of retail is mutually beneficial. The celebrities boost their earnings and capitalize on their fan base while the retailers end up with an exclusive product. “It ties into consumer aspirations,” says Stone.

That’s not all. In order to strengthen a celebrity’s brand, business ventures and licensing deals must match the star’s personal attributes, beliefs and style. “It’s got to be more than commerce,” says Bragman. “It’s got to be believable.”